Halo Waypoint, the new virtual home for all things Halo, launches today on Xbox LIVE, and will be the exclusive destination for full-episode previews of Halo Legends beginning Saturday, November 7. Available for Halo fans worldwide following a successful preview period, Halo Waypoint brings all the richness of the Halo universe together in one place. Halo Waypoint features daily updates of fresh, exciting content such as developer interviews, trailers and screenshots, exclusive video footage, community activities, and the latest Halo news.

Avatar Awardables

In addition, Halo Waypoint includes an innovative career system that tracks players’ accomplishments across multiple Halo games and gives them new ways to show off their heroic gameplay feats. By downloading and “enlisting” in Halo Waypoint, players will be rewarded with a variety of Bungie-created Halo 3: ODST Avatar Awardables for attaining specific Achievements in the game. Rewards vary from stylish T-shirts to full sets of ODST armor. The experience is retroactive, so if players have already unlocked the requisite Achievements, the awards will be ready for them once they enlist in Halo Waypoint.

Players can unlock the following Achievements to gain access to Halo 3: ODST Avatar Awardables:

As a bonus for enlisting in Halo Waypoint, fans receive a Monitor accessory for their Avatars modeled after the Halo character, 343 Guilty Spark. The Monitor will help fans find their way around Halo Waypoint.

Halo Legends Anime

The rollout of exciting new Halo content doesn’t stop there. This Saturday, the first preview episode of the highly anticipated anime series, Halo Legends, will debut ONLY on Halo Waypoint.

Set to be distributed in early 2010 by Warner Home Video, written and created by an array of renowned anime studios and produced by 343 Industries, Halo Legends will explore never-before-told stories based on themes and characters in the vast Halo universe. Sponsored by the U.S. Air Force, previews of four new Halo Legends episodes will be available only on Halo Waypoint during 24-hour live-streaming events on Xbox LIVE over the next three months.

The first Halo Legends preview episode, “The Babysitter,” is created by famed anime house STUDIO4°C, and follows the story of a group of ODSTs who reluctantly accept a Spartan sniper into their strike team. As they embark on a perilous mission to assassinate a high-ranking Covenant Prophet, old rivalries must be reexamined if the mission is to succeed. Watch what happens as the mission progresses into hostile territory, and both the Spartan and the ODSTs discover something important about the other.

Following each preview episode on Xbox LIVE, fans will receive exclusive behind-the-scenes looks at each studio’s creative process through “making of” specials. Below is the current broadcast schedule of upcoming Halo Legends live-streaming events (subject to change):

05-Nov-09 – Introduction to “Halo Legends”
07-Nov-09 – “The Babysitter”
14-Nov-09 – Making of “The Babysitter”
21-Nov-09 – “The Duel”
28-Nov-09 – Making of “The Duel”
05-Dec-09 – “The Package” Part 1
12-Dec-09 – Making of “The Package”
19-Dec-09 – “The Package” Part 2
26-Dec-09 – Making of “The Package”
02-Jan-10 – “Origins” Part 1
09-Jan-10 – Making of “Origins”

Source: Xbox Press Releases & Feature Stories

On November 5, fans around the world will have a completely new way to access all things Halo with the launch of Halo Waypoint, the new destination for the iconic franchise available exclusively on Xbox LIVE.

Produced and developed by 343 Industries in collaboration with Certain Affinity, Halo Waypoint offers a diverse selection of unique and immersive content, bringing together all the goodness of the rich Halo universe in one place. Halo Waypoint informs fans of the latest Halo news and activities, granting access to content ranging from interviews, trailers and screenshots, to exclusive video footage and community content that you won’t find anywhere else.

Halo Waypoint provides a new challenge for Halo gamers with a career system tied to in-game accomplishments across multiple Halo games. At launch, career tracking will include Halo 3: ODST, Halo 3, Halo Wars and all Game Add-on content for those titles. Available exclusively on Xbox LIVE, Halo Waypoint provides a dynamic experience that will continue to grow and expand with new content updated regularly.

Previews of the highly anticipated anime anthology Halo Legends, will be available exclusively on Halo Waypoint starting November 7. Halo Legends is just one of the Halo exclusives that won’t be found anywhere outside of Halo Waypoint.

Halo Waypoint will be accessible for Xbox LIVE Silver Members as a trial until November 26. After that time, Halo Waypoint will be available exclusively for Gold subscribers. For a content schedule of Halo Waypoint programming, visit the online Halo Portal Web site, and follow the Halo Waypoint team on Twitter at @HaloWaypoint or on Facebook.
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A premium theme for Halo 3: ODST is now available on Xbox LIVE on Oct. 22 free of charge for all Xbox LIVE Gold subscribers.

“ODSTs aren’t the only ones getting their hands on upgraded gear to prepare for the upcoming Firefight. Available only for a limited time and free of charge for Xbox LIVE Gold Subscribers, this expertly crafted Halo 3: ODST Premium Theme will get your Xbox 360 ready for a combat drop into the city of New Mombasa.”

Halo 3: ODST returns players to familiar ground on a vital, top-secret mission. The gripping story, cooperative campaign and new multiplayer content will have Halo fans “Preparing to Drop” in Fall 2009. Originally titled Halo 3: Recon, the new game brings the perspective of new characters to the Human-Covenant struggle, as it explores the ODST, or Orbital Drop Shock Troopers.

Gametrailers.com

Lock and load! When Halo 3: ODST drops on September 22, it will deliver a completely new campaign, a new cooperative multiplayer experience called Firefight, the complete Halo 3 multiplayer experience on a standalone disc, and new competitive multiplayer maps for Halo 3 you won’t find anywhere else. Microsoft and Bungie today revealed the remaining three multiplayer maps which are sure to get fans around the world excited.

Heretic returns to familiar ground as the Halo 2 arena Midship makes its long-rumored debut in Halo 3. The stark interior of the Pious Inquisitor might appear austere on first glance, but Heretic’s symmetrical spaces require players to execute complex strategies in order to outplay their opponents.

Citadel may be a long-abandoned Forerunner stronghold, but its small, symmetrical confines are far from secure. Two opposing bases offer little safety for players looking for solace. Instead, Citadel forces small squads to stay in constant communication, keep their heads on a swivel, and be prepared to adjust combat tactics in close quarters.

Longshore lacks the commercial ships that once made it a lucrative port for Old Mombasa, but it still bustles with activity. Designed for large scale combat and well suited for smaller affairs, Longshore’s multitude of industrial buildings, elevated walks, and open inlets conspire to create a complex battleground tailored for multiple combat scenarios.

Developed exclusively for Xbox 360 by acclaimed developer Bungie, Halo 3: ODST is a new game in the Halo saga that lets you experience events leading up to the epic story told in Halo 3 through the eyes of an ODST (Orbital Drop Shock Trooper), as you search for clues leading to the whereabouts of your scattered squad and the motivations behind the Covenant’s invasion of New Mombasa.

In addition to a brand new campaign, Halo 3: ODST introduces a new cooperative multiplayer mode called Firefight which allows Halo fans to experience co-operative gaming in a whole new way: they will be fighting as members of an ODST squad against waves of increasingly challenging enemies across a variety of battlefields. This experience is made even more intense with the integration of the “skulls” from Halo 3, which progressively activate as time goes on to alter the gameplay and up the challenge. Battle through wave after wave in search of high scores, Achievements, and bragging rights.

Halo 3: ODST also includes a second standalone disc with three new Halo 3 multiplayer maps, all original Halo 3 maps, as well as the Legendary, Heroic, and Mythic Map packs for a total of 24 maps.

Grab Halo 3: ODST at your favorite game retailer to ensure access to the Halo: Reach multiplayer beta when the beta goes live in the future.Announced at E3 2009, Halo: Reach is the prequel to the blockbuster Halo trilogy and is scheduled for release in fall of 2010.

Halo 3: ODST is available for pre-order in both a standard package and a Halo 3: ODST Collector’s Pack, which includes the game and an exclusive, laser-etched Wireless Controller. Pre-order Halo 3: ODST at participating retailers and you will receive a token to unlock grizzled UNSC hero Sgt. Johnson as a playable character in Firefight. The Halo 3: ODST Collector’s Pack is available for pre-order in the U.S. exclusively at GameStop, and is available worldwide at other participating retailers.

Source: Xbox Press Releases & Feature Stories

Launching Sept. 22, Halo 3: ODST is a new game in the landmark “Halo” saga that lets players experience the events leading up to the epic story told in “Halo 3″ through the eyes of a special forces ODST (Orbital Drop Shock Trooper). In addition to an all-new campaign, “ODST” includes three new “Halo 3″ multiplayer maps and the complete, stand-alone “Halo 3″ multiplayer experience.2 The game also introduces Firefight, an exciting new cooperative multiplayer mode that pits up to four players against increasingly challenging waves of enemies. As a special bonus, “Halo 3: ODST” also includes an invitation to the “Halo: Reach” multiplayer beta on Xbox LIVE. Also, launching on the same date with “Halo 3: ODST” is the “Halo 3: ODST Collector’s Pack,” which offers “Halo” fans a new and exclusive wireless controller and the game title in one package at a great price.

Source: Xbox Press Releases & Feature Stories and Gametrailers.com

LOS ANGELES — June 1, 2009 — Rock out. Duck and cover. Shift into overdrive. On the eve of the Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3), Microsoft Corp. today made it perfectly clear: No matter who you are or what games you crave, Xbox 360 is the only gaming and entertainment console for you.

At a time when, according to NPD Group Inc., nearly seven in 10 consumers plan to spend the same or more on video games compared with last year, Xbox 360 today unveiled a lineup that is sure to tip the scales in favor of more — more fun, more entertainment value and more games available only on Xbox 360.

A “who’s who” of hot games, the list of Xbox exclusives includes “Forza Motorsport 3,” “Tom Clancy’s Splinter Cell Conviction™,” “Left 4 Dead 2,” “Alan Wake,” “Shadow Complex,” “Crackdown 2,” blockbuster “Halo 3: ODST” and the surprise announce of “Halo” trilogy prequel “Halo: Reach.” Sharing the stage were blockbusters Infinity Ward’s “Modern Warfare 2″ and “The Beatles: Rock Band.”

“We know that your fun and our success boil down to one thing: our ability to make games that are creative, diverse and entertaining. Period. And this year, we deliver in spades with the biggest and best lineup in our history,” said Phil Spencer, general manager of the global Microsoft Game Studios business. “From the core first-person-shooter fans who’ve enjoyed Xbox since the first ‘Halo’ to new audiences who are discovering us today with genre-defining games like ‘1 vs 100,’ we have something for everyone with our best and broadest lineup ever.”

Xbox 360 has the most celebrated, most played, most coveted and most E-rated games in the industry — and with 1,000-plus titles to date, there’s more than one for you.

Heart-Thumping Entertainment, Exclusively on Xbox 360

Get behind the wheel of an Audi R8 V10 in “Forza Motorsport 3,” jump into the immersive movie-like action of “Alan Wake,” and download “Shadow Complex,” the newest Xbox LIVE Arcade game from the minds behind the blockbuster “Gears of War” franchise. Some of the most exciting games in 2009 and beyond are only on Xbox 360, including the following:

• “1 vs 100” (Microsoft Game Studios). Are you ready to win big? The “1 vs 100″ U.S. and Canadian beta launches today, June 1, at 7:30 p.m. PDT. For the first time, “1 vs 100″ on Xbox LIVE combines the best of TV gameshow experiences with social gaming to create the largest interactive game show in the world. Based on the hit TV game show of the same name, “1 vs 100 Live” is regularly scheduled and features a live studio host who provides comedic commentary throughout the show and fresh content from a team of trivia writers and experts. Players can play as “the one,” “the mob” or “the crowd,” for the chance to win real prizes. Check your local Xbox LIVE listings to join “1 vs 100 Live.”1
• “Alan Wake” (Remedy/Microsoft Game Studios). “Alan Wake” is the all-new psychological action thriller from the renowned creators of the “Max Payne” franchise. Coming in spring 2010 and exclusive to Xbox 360, “Alan Wake” will immerse players in an intense cinematic thrill ride of dreams and reality, where light is the only ally.
• “Crackdown 2” (Ruffian Games/Microsoft Game Studios). The sequel to the award-winning “Crackdown,” “Crackdown 2″ is the premier open-ended action experience that lets you be judge, jury and executioner for a vast city. Coming exclusively to Xbox 360 in 2010, “Crackdown 2″ will take multiplayer2 gaming to unprecedented levels for the ultimate cooperative and competitive multiplayer experience, providing you and your friends with the complete freedom to explore, destroy and play as you return to restore justice and peace to Pacific City — by any means necessary.
• “Forza Motorsport 3” (Turn 10/Microsoft Game Studios). Launching this October, “Forza Motorsport 3″ is the definitive racing game for everyone from hardcore tuners to anyone who’s ever dreamed of driving at full-throttle. Backed by breathtaking HD graphics and bone-jarring physics, you’ll take the wheel of more than 400 of the most-beloved cars on over 100 renowned real-world tracks and exotic road courses from around the globe. “Forza Motorsport 3″ includes driving assists and adjustable skill levels to make the game a gripping pick-up-and-play experience for audiences of all ages and skill levels, while new customization and sharing tools will further fuel the imaginations of the thriving “Forza Motorsport” community on Xbox LIVE.
• “Gears of War 2: Dark Corners” (Epic Games Inc.). The “Gears of War 2: Dark Corners” Game Add-on includes seven brand new multiplayer maps and a new campaign chapter, “Road to Ruin.” “Dark Corners” launches on Xbox LIVE Marketplace on July 28. The entertainment blockbuster of 2008, “Gears of War 2″ has now surpassed 5 million copies sold worldwide.
• “Halo 3: ODST” (Bungie). Launching Sept. 22, “Halo 3: ODST” is a new game in the landmark “Halo” saga that lets players experience the events leading up to the epic story told in “Halo 3″ through the eyes of a special forces ODST (Orbital Drop Shock Trooper). In addition to an all-new campaign, “ODST” includes three new “Halo 3″ multiplayer maps and the complete, stand-alone “Halo 3″ multiplayer experience.2 The game also introduces Firefight, an exciting new cooperative multiplayer mode that pits up to four players against increasingly challenging waves of enemies. As a special bonus, “Halo 3: ODST” also includes an invitation to the “Halo: Reach” multiplayer beta on Xbox LIVE. Also, launching on the same date with “Halo 3: ODST” is the “Halo 3: ODST Collector’s Pack,” which offers “Halo” fans a new and exclusive wireless controller and the game title in one package at a great price.
• “Joy Ride” (Big Park/Microsoft Game Studios). Avatars, start your engines! Full of wild driving fun, “Joy Ride” will get your adrenaline pumping as you tear up the track with your friends, or jump, flip and trick your way through the Stunt Park as you work with the whole community to unlock rewards. “Joy Ride” is completely free to download and gives you all new ways to play, whether you’re looking for a quick game or a deep, custom social experience, all on Xbox LIVE.2 Design your dream car or purchase new tracks, game modes and avatar items. You can share the racetracks and game modes with your friends so no one is ever left out.
• “Left 4 Dead 2” (Valve). “Left 4 Dead 2″ is the sequel to the best-selling and critically acclaimed cooperative multiplayer smash from Valve, creators of “Half-Life,” “Portal,” “Team Fortress” and “Counter-Strike.” Introducing melee weapons and new enemies to the original’s award-winning gameplay, “L4D2″ casts players as one of four new “Survivors” battling zombie hordes as they travel from Savannah, Ga., through New Orleans’ French Quarter.
• “Shadow Complex” (Epic Games Inc. and Chair Entertainment Group/Microsoft Game Studios). New from Epic Games and Chair Entertainment, “Shadow Complex” combines the best of old-school side-scroller design with modern, cutting-edge gameplay and incredible high-definition graphics. Collect power-ups, discover new abilities and evolve your character into a force of destruction as you explore an original story set in the world of Orson Scott Card’s best-selling novel, “Empire.” “Shadow Complex” marries the quality and depth of a full retail title with the accessibility you love, exclusively on Xbox 360 and Xbox LIVE Arcade.
• “Tom Clancy’s Splinter Cell Conviction” (Ubisoft). Coming exclusively to Xbox 360 this fall, unleash the ferocious skills of renegade agent Sam Fisher and uncover a deadly terrorist plot in “Tom Clancy’s Splinter Cell Conviction™.” Completely reinvented and revolutionized, “Tom Clancy’s Splinter Cell Conviction™” ushers in a new breed of action gameplay leaving players fully immersed in the life of the world’s most dangerous spy. Take full advantage of the 20 million member Xbox LIVE community in this latest installment of the award-winning “Splinter Cell” franchise.

Blockbusters Here, There, Everywhere on Xbox 360

It’s a simple truth: third-party games play better on Xbox 360. Why? Because only Xbox 360 can pair must-have titles like this year’s blockbuster from Infinity Ward, “Modern Warfare 2″; “The Beatles: Rock Band”; and “Tony Hawk®: RIDE™” with Xbox LIVE, the world’s largest social network on your TV. The result? As the world’s largest online gaming network, Xbox LIVE gives you more friends to play with and its exclusive collection of Game Add-ons ensures the fun never ends. It leaves only one question: Why would you play these blockbusters anywhere else?

• “Final Fantasy XIII” (Square Enix). The world-renowned “Final Fantasy” will continue making its home on Xbox 360 with the upcoming release of “Final Fantasy XIII,” the eagerly anticipated title from Square Enix. “Final Fantasy XIII” uses the power and cutting-edge technology of Xbox 360 to deliver seamless transitions between real-time gameplay and in-game cinematics as gamers summon the courage to execute powerful attacks with an evolved Active Time Battle system and ultimately fulfill their destiny. Scheduled to be released only in North America and Europe.
• “Metal Gear Solid: Rising” (Konami Digital Entertainment). “Metal Gear Solid: Rising” is the highly anticipated debut of Hideo Kojima’s critically acclaimed “Metal Gear Solid” franchise on Xbox 360. “Metal Gear Solid: Rising” will star Raiden, one of the most popular characters in the “Metal Gear Solid” universe, in a new, thrilling adventure on Xbox 360.
• “Modern Warfare 2” (Infinity Ward/Activision). On Nov. 10, 2009, Infinity Ward will make its return with the release of “Modern Warfare 2″ on Xbox 360, the most-anticipated game of the year and the sequel to the best-selling first-person action game of all time, “Call of Duty® 4: Modern Warfare™.” “Modern Warfare 2″ continues the gripping and heart-racing saga with an unprecedented level of action as players face off against a new threat dedicated to bringing the world to the brink of collapse. Xbox LIVE gamers will also be the first to get their hands on two “Modern Warfare 2″ map packs coming first to Xbox 360.
• “The Beatles: Rock Band” (Harmonix/MTV Games). On 09.09.09, “The Beatles: Rock Band” will allow fans all over the world to pick up the guitar, bass, mic or drums and experience The Beatles’ extraordinary catalogue of music through gameplay that takes players on a journey through the legacy and evolution of the band’s legendary career. In addition, “The Beatles: Rock Band” offers Beatles fans the opportunity to rock out with new hardware replica controllers modeled after instruments used by John Lennon, Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr throughout their careers. And, for the first time, players will be able to download music and make a change: Available only on Xbox 360, all Apple Corps, MTV Games and Microsoft proceeds from downloads of “All You Need Is Love” will benefit Doctors Without Borders.
• “Tony Hawk: RIDE” (Activision). “Tony Hawk: RIDE” redefines the sports genre by offering a dynamic hands-free gaming experience featuring an innovative skateboard controller. Using full motion sensing technology, players physically control the action by performing various movements and gestures on the board that directly translate into amazing tricks in the game. The skateboard controller provides an accessible and social gaming experience on Xbox 360 that allows players of all skill levels to battle for skateboard supremacy by challenging gamers worldwide over Xbox LIVE, the largest social gaming network.

Source: Xbox Press Releases & Feature Stories

LOS ANGELES — June 1, 2009 — The future of home entertainment has a new name: Xbox 360. Today, Microsoft Corp. opened the Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3) with a historic Xbox 360 briefing that rocked, tweeted, revved and awakened the world to a new era of fun and entertainment. In addition to premiering 10 exclusive new games, revolutionizing the way we watch TV, and making it easier than ever to connect to friends, Xbox also welcomed visionary filmmaker Steven Spielberg to introduce “Project Natal” and controller-free gaming.

“Today with cultural visionaries at our side and controller-free gaming on our horizon, Xbox 360 authored a new page in home entertainment history,” said Don Mattrick, senior vice president for the Interactive Entertainment Business at Microsoft. “For us, this E3 is about breaking down barriers — between generations, between games and entertainment, and most important, between video game players and everyone else — in a way that only Xbox 360 can.”

During its briefing, Microsoft showed why Xbox 360 continues to defy industry sales trends. First: A lineup of blockbuster games to ignite every passion, including “Forza Motorsport 3,” “Alan Wake,” “Halo 3: ODST” and “The Beatles: Rock Band.” Next? A host of groundbreaking Xbox LIVE services, from instant on 1080p HD streaming movies and television to Facebook and Last.fm tailor-made for your TV. And rounding it all out, “Project Natal,” a whole new way to play, no controller required.

“Project Natal”: No Strings (or Controllers) Attached

Unveiled for the first time to the public was “Project Natal,” pronounced “nuh-tall” and a code name for a revolutionary new way to play, no controller required. See a ball? Kick it, hit it, trap it or catch it. If you know how to move your hands, shake your hips or speak, you and your friends can jump into the fun. The only experience needed is life experience.

Compatible with any Xbox 360 system, the “Project Natal” sensor is the world’s first to combine an RGB camera, depth sensor, multi-array microphone and custom processor running proprietary software all in one device. Unlike 2-D cameras and controllers, “Project Natal” tracks your full body movement in 3-D, while responding to commands, directions and even a shift of emotion in your voice.

In addition, unlike other devices, the “Project Natal” sensor is not light-dependent. It can recognize you just by looking at your face, and it doesn’t just react to key words but understands what you’re saying. Call a play in a football game, and players will actually respond. Want to log onto Xbox LIVE? Simply step in front of the sensor.

“The next step in interactive entertainment is to make the controller disappear,” said Steven Spielberg, visionary director and producer. “With ‘Project Natal,’ we’ll see games that bring everyone together through technology that actually recognizes us.”

The Best of the Internet, Custom-Made for Your TV

Groove, party or connect with a friend. Xbox LIVE, the world’s largest social network on TV, today announced that Facebook and Last.fm would be tailor-made for your TV, only on Xbox 360. Microsoft also announced Xbox LIVE Party for movies, which allows movie experiences to be shared — on the couch or across the country over Xbox LIVE in supported movies.

“We are always asking ourselves how to make the TV more social,” said John Schappert, corporate vice president of Interactive Entertainment LIVE, Software and Studios at Microsoft. “By bringing Facebook, Last.fm and Xbox LIVE Party for movies and TV shows to Xbox LIVE, we’re not only extending the walls of your living room beyond your home to your friends in different corners of the world, we’re creating the definitive social network, uniting more than 200 million people to share status updates, pictures, thoughts on music and the world’s best online gaming experience.”

The addition of Facebook to Xbox LIVE means friends are always connected, anytime, anywhere — from virtually any couch. But updating your status and sharing photos won’t be the only things you can do. Using Facebook Connect, you can share your greatest moments in gaming by posting updates and screenshots from supported games directly to Facebook. Don’t let your moment of glory fade away — make sure everyone sees it with Facebook Connect, starting with the future version of the premier EA SPORTS golf franchise “Tiger Woods PGA TOUR®.”

A first for TV, Last.fm,1 part of the CBS Interactive Music Group, will give Xbox LIVE subscribers access to millions of songs streaming through Xbox 360 to the best speakers in the house. Xbox LIVE subscribers will be able to create their own free, personalized radio stations and listen to them with friends in the living room or across the country.

Xbox 360 also solidified its place as one of the leading social entertainment networks by announcing Xbox LIVE Party for movies. Go to the cinema with your friends whether you are sitting on the same couch or in living rooms across the country. Starting this year, you can share a virtual theater, see your avatar (a virtual you) on the screen, all while you listen to each other laugh and cry at the movie through voice chat on Xbox LIVE. With movie parties, the only thing you can’t share is the popcorn.

1080p HD in an Instant

Continuing a pioneering effort that began with the introduction of the industry’s first video marketplace in November 2006 and broke new ground with the announcement of the first live TV straight from a gaming console last week in the U.K., Microsoft today announced that Xbox would deliver yet another first-to-the-world: instant on 1080p movies and TV with 5.1 surround sound — direct to consoles connected to compatible HD TVs through the Xbox LIVE social entertainment network.

Starting this fall, a broad selection of movies and TV shows from Zune video on Xbox 360 will be available to start and stream instantly, in the highest video quality and at the push of a button.2 No discs, no waiting for downloads and no delays. Get the selection of a video megastore, the best video clarity available and the convenience of on-demand, only on Xbox 360.

In addition, Microsoft announced it will more than double the number of markets where Xbox LIVE offers its TV shows and movies, growing from eight to 18, by adding Australia, Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Sweden and Switzerland. Xbox LIVE members in these markets will have access to instant on 1080p video. New Xbox LIVE Video Marketplace advancements also came for the U.S., U.K.and Ireland, specifically:

• More choices with Netflix. Watch movies instantly streamed from Netflix.3 Browse and add selections to your instant Queue — right on your TV with your Xbox 360. Plus now with Xbox LIVE Party, you can watch and share supported movies with up to seven friends on Xbox LIVE. Debating between comedy and horror? Recommend your favorites to friends and see your virtual you as an avatar on the silver screen.
• Live TV with BSkyB Ltd. The Xbox LIVE commitment to providing the best global entertainment gains momentum with its newest partner, Sky. Now, for the first time, watch live or on-demand TV from Sky on Xbox 360, including Sky Sports. Never miss a moment of your favorite live TV shows, sports, movies and family-friendly entertainment across the U.K. and Ireland on Xbox LIVE. You can even share your favorites with up to seven friends in an Xbox LIVE Party.

Games for Everyone

Get behind the steering wheel of the sleek Audi R8. Rock out with your friends to the latest music and party games. Discover a new chapter set in the iconic universe of “Halo.” Xbox 360 has the most celebrated, highly anticipated games and experiences in the industry. With more than 1,000 titles to date, there’s more than just one for you.

• Get behind the wheel. Hit the straightaway in more than 400 cars on the world’s most beautiful tracks in the definitive racing game for this console generation, “Forza Motorsport 3.” Or get your avatar in the driver’s seat as you tear up the track with your friends in “Joy Ride.”
• Adrenaline-rushing exclusives. Xbox 360 is your top destination for the biggest exclusives this year and beyond, including “Halo 3: ODST,” “Crackdown 2,” “Alan Wake,” “Tom Clancy’s Splinter Cell Conviction™” and “Left 4 Dead 2.”
• Tap into your inner musician. Xbox 360 continues to be the preferred venue for the music games you love. Discover the magic of music and The Beatles with “The Beatles: Rock Band” or start a spontaneous singing party with “Lips: Number One Hits.”
• The best blockbuster experiences. Third-party games play better on Xbox 360. Pairing must-have titles such as this year’s blockbuster from Infinity Ward, “Modern Warfare 2″ with Xbox LIVE, Xbox 360 offers more friends to play with and an exclusive collection of Game Add-ons.

Source: Xbox Press Releases & Feature Stories

Release Date: Fall 2009
Platforms Xbox 360
Publisher: Microsoft Game Studios
Developer: Bungie
Genres: First-person shooter

Introduction

Developed exclusively for Xbox 360 by acclaimed developer Bungie, “Halo 3: Recon” is a stand-alone expansion that extends the award-winning “Halo 3” experience with hours of new campaign and multiplayer gameplay.* The release adds a new dimension to an all-encompassing universe that gamers around the world have known and loved for more than six years.

The new campaign chapter predates the events that unfold in “Halo 3” and gives players a new perspective through the eyes of a new hero in the “Halo” universe. New multiplayer maps ensure that the award-winning Xbox LIVE experience of “Halo 3” continues to thrive.

Features

All-new campaign content. The “Halo 3: Recon” campaign is an intriguing side story that takes place during the terrifying events leading up to the Master Chief’s return to New Mombasa in “Halo 3.” Experience the fate of Earth from the brand-new perspective of a special forces ODST (Orbital Drop Shock Trooper), adding a unique outlook and new gameplay elements to the events that unfold in the trilogy’s finale. While the feel of this new chapter will greatly resemble that of previous “Halo” experiences, “Halo 3: Recon” will require players to employ more elements of stealth and cunning than ever before.

A new hero: Prepare to drop. Known for their courage, valor and, at times, insanity, ODSTs are among the fiercest UNSC soldiers, priding themselves on being the first unit deployed into hostile situations. While not as large or supernaturally gifted as their Spartan comrades, these “Hell Jumpers” more than compensate with their ferocious attitudes and unwavering nerve.

Expanded multiplayer collection. No “Halo” experience would be complete without groundbreaking multiplayer content,* and “Halo 3: Recon” gives fans more of what they love. With exclusive new maps and full Forge options, players will find more multiplayer content than ever before with “Halo 3: Recon.”

Ever-growing community options. Players will continue to enjoy all the great “Halo 3” technological innovations, including Saved Films, screenshots, Campaign Scoring and four-player co-op. All of the new multiplayer maps fully support the Forge editor, offering endless gameplay customization possibilities for fans.

Videos

Screenshots